Abstract:

Of the key ecosystem services provided by wetlands, one of the
most important is the provision of habitat for numerous fish,
birds, and wildlife species. Nowhere is this more important
than in the thousands of pristine coastal marshes lining the
shoreline of eastern Georgian Bay. What brings trophy-size
fish such as the muskellunge and northern pike into these
quiescent areas? What are they doing? How long do they stay?
What else do we find there? These questions have consumed
my students and me since 2003, and along the way, we have
uncovered a few things about these magical places.